Epa Change Did Have Public Input

The recent decision of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to bring greater clarity to a clean-air program called New Source Review will result in greater environmental protection and a more reliable electric power sector. The majority of state governors, environmental commissioners, attorneys general, as well as labor organizations, rural groups and mayors have all written in support of NSR clarification.

NSR certainty enables companies to undertake maintenance projects that enhance the efficiency of plants. As power production becomes more efficient, pollution declines and workplace safety and system-reliability increase.

As for public scrutiny, the only thing shameless is your baseless charge [in an Aug. 27 editorial, "Clean Air Act under assault," that the new rule was "shamelessly developed without any public input"]. The NSR process was the most open rulemaking process ever, with hundreds of thousands of public comments already part of the rule-making record, 10 national public hearings across the country and more than two years of front-page media attention.